Which 3D graphics accelerator is the best for playing modern computer games?

These questions will necessarily come to your mind, if you like playing games and want to upgrade your computer. And you will start looking through on-line and off-line reviews to come to a decision.

How do you make your choice?

Your choice may depend upon price, or ability to support greater number of functions, or performance, or even your loyalty to this or that brand. With price everything is more or less clear - it may be too high, reasonable, or low, with brand-loyalty, it is clear too. But it is not so easy to evaluate performance and picture quality (the latter is directly related to how many functions are supported by the particular accelerator and how well it implements the supported functions).

And how do we check video-cards now?

Today there are two ways to check up performance and picture quality - synthetic tests and real application tests.

And how well can we trust these tests?

Well... Actually most of them are based upon real applications (that is GAMES).
And - for we don't know what reasons - they always keep in secret the source codes of all of them and so the tests cannot be checked by anyone from outside.
And the user may ask questions like these:

Isn't it possible that the test is not totally impersonal?

Isn't it possible that it was specially made to test in favor of this or that brand? Couldn't the brand-owner optimize the drivers to this test?

The fact is that even if the user raises such questions, independent experts cannot check up the way the test works, as its source codes are not open to them.

But we need something we can trust!

Yes. And besides, it is not only gamers who are interested in having a really impersonal test.

And who else?

Firstly, 3D graphic designers
Secondly, Developers of games and application programs
And thirdly, those who make video cards

1. Those who use graphic software packages, need proper video cards. It is well-known that many of the graphics accelerators, which are good for playing games,
can suit the purposes of 3D graphic designers. Performance and quality of drivers are important for a professional designer. And most often the latter is even more important than the former.
And how to check up if the particular video card is good for 3D graphic design?
How to evaluate the quality of the drivers?Again we need a special test, which can be checked by any independent experts.

2. Developers of games and application programs always face with the same problems. They must be sure, that what they create will adequately work with the machines, which users either have or can buy at the moment.It is certain that none will make a game compatible with video-cards of only one type. On the other hand, to be able to come to a proper decision they should also be sure that their game would adequately work with as many 3d accelerators as possible.Again we come to the conclusion that we need a test, which will enable us to evaluate the abilities of video-cards and their performance.
And again, the tests must be open to any check up from outside.

3. Video-card manufacturers and graphic processor developers need a test firstly to check if the particular product works properly and use an impersonal device to do it.
Secondly they can compare their own product with its competitors. And again the test should be open to the public and any audit from outside.

Thus, the conclusion is very simple -

We all need a proper test, such a test that none will ever doubt its impersonality.

And it is not so hard to make it.

The only thing we have to do is to open the source code of the test to the public, so that any expert can make sure that the test is really an unbiased one.

And this is exactly what we are going to make with your help and participation.
This undertaking is a non-commercial and a totally independent one.

We named the project RightMark3D.

Why such a name?

Firstly, it reflects the very idea of impersonal 3D graphics testing.Secondly, the name itself suggests that the test is a proper, correct, right one. Besides the roots of this name may be found in the history of SUN Microsystems - "downsizing", "upsizing", "rightsizing".And thirdly, it sounds well.

Certainly, without your help we cannot create a really proper test.

Therefore, we suggest organizing a gathering of developers, a gathering of those who will take part in creating the package.
And that is why we have made the website RightMark3D.org